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Nov 18, 2025·Interview·01:45·80·Watch on YouTube

Why Solo Mode Matters in Board Game Design

Chimney Cat Games

Chimney Cat Games

Watch “Why Solo Mode Matters in Board Game Design,” a board game interview for Tunnel Story from Chimney Cat Games on BoardGameVideo.

Description provided by Chimney Cat Games on YouTube:

Why is Solo Mode no longer just a "nice-to-have" feature? In this video, Aaron (ex-Rockstar Games artist and designer of Tunnel Story) breaks down why designing a robust Solo Mode was a critical pillar of the game's development—and why all new board game designers need to consider it from Day 1. It’s not just about mechanics; it’s about accessibility. Aaron shares his personal "Designer's Confession" on why he built the solo system for himself first, ensuring it offers a true challenge without feeling "tacked on." 🔥 BACK TUNNEL STORY ON KICKSTARTER (Final Days!): https://play.tunnelstory.com In this video: +Why the solo gaming community is vital. + The danger of "tacked-on" solo modes. + Advice for new designers on testing for one player. 👇 JOIN THE ADVENTURE: https://play.tunnelstory.com #BoardGameDesign #SoloGaming #GameDesign #Kickstarter #IndieDev #TabletopGames #TunnelStory #RockstarGames #SoloBoardGaming #BoardGames

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Tunnel Story

Tunnel Story

2026·Aaron Hordos

Videos
7
Creators
1

Some how-to-play. Tunnel Story is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 2 how-to-play guides and 5 other videos.

1 - 4 players
30 min

About Tunnel Story, from BoardGameGeek:

Tunnel Story directly taps into the golden age of 8-bit and 16-bit JRPGs from the 1980s and 90s. It's for anyone who remembers the magic of discovering a new world in a cartridge, with only the box art and a paper manual to guide them. This isn't just a fantasy game with JRPG themes. It's built from the ground up to emulate the core JRPG loop: grinding, strategic leveling, and powerful boss encounters for an authentic, analog JRPG experience. Our pixel art is a deliberate, striking choice that celebrates a beloved digital art form. in Tunnel Story, players explore an unknown map, turning tiles over to battle monsters, find loot, and locate the tunnel to the Boss Monster. Players must defeat the 3 curses of the Boss Monster to defeat him. But, if any member of the team fails, the game is lost. -description from the publisher

Designer

Aaron Hordos

Artist

Aaron Hordos

Publisher

Chimney Cat Games

Categories

Card GameExploration

Mechanics

Cooperative GameDice Rolling
View on BoardGameGeek ›
Tunnel Story

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Why Solo Mode Matters in Board Game Design